Name:
A.1270
Reference:
EcoArt 2002
Description:
This grassland alliance is found on sandy soils in the intermountain steppe, Wyoming Basin, Colorado Plateau, Great Basin and Columbia Plateau. Stands typically occur on upland sites with coarse-textured soils such as sandstone outcrop ridges in the plains, dry-sandy sites in the Columbia Basin, and parks on dissected alluvial fans below sandstone plateaus, but not dunes. Sites are on flat to moderately steep, often south-facing slopes, but can occur on any aspect. Soils are shallow to moderately deep, well-drained, coarse-textured, and non-saline. Grasslands included in this alliance are characterized by a moderately dense herbaceous layer dominated by ~Hesperostipa comata (= Stipa comata)$, but cover ranges from sparse to dense. ~Achnatherum hymenoides (= Oryzopsis hymenoides)$ or ~Poa secunda$ codominate some stands. Other graminoids may include ~Aristida purpurea, Bouteloua gracilis, Carex filifolia, Koeleria macrantha, Pleuraphis jamesii (= Hilaria jamesii)$, or ~Sporobolus cryptandrus$. Shrubs and dwarf-shrubs are sparse (<10%) and may include scattered ~Artemisia cana, Artemisia frigida, Artemisia tridentata$, or ~Ericameria nauseosa (= Chrysothamnus nauseosus)$. Forb cover is also sparse, but can be relatively diverse. Common forbs are ~Gaura coccinea, Lappula occidentalis (= Lappula redowskii), Lithophragma glabrum, Lupinus pusillus, Opuntia aurea (= Opuntia basilaris var. aurea), Opuntia polyacantha, Plantago patagonica$, or ~Pediomelum argophyllum (= Psoralea argophylla)$. Cryptogams are important in some stands with up to 40% ground cover on sites in the Colorado Plateau. Diagnostic of this grassland alliance is the dominance of ~Hesperostipa comata$ in the herbaceous layer and the lack of significant cover of ~Bouteloua gracilis$ or ~Nassella viridula$.
Accession Code:
VB.CC.1039.A1270
Plot-observations of this Community Concept:
0
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